Posted: October 31st, 2023

The Impact of Maternal Factors on Infant Weight

The Impact of Maternal Factors on Infant Weight

Infant weight is an important indicator of health and development in the early stages of life. However, infant weight can be influenced by various factors, such as maternal anthropometric, behavioural, dietary and health care factors. In this blog post, we will analyse how these factors affect infant weight and what interventions can be implemented to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

Maternal Anthropometric Factors

Maternal anthropometric factors refer to the physical characteristics of the mother, such as height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and gestational weight gain (GWG). These factors can affect infant weight in different ways. For example, maternal height and pre-pregnancy weight are positively associated with birth weight, while maternal BMI and GWG are negatively associated with birth weight (Liu et al., 2016). This means that taller and thinner mothers tend to have heavier babies, while obese and overweight mothers tend to have lighter babies. However, this does not mean that heavier babies are healthier or that lighter babies are unhealthy. In fact, both low birth weight (<2500 g) and high birth weight (>4000 g) are associated with increased risks of adverse health outcomes, such as neonatal mortality, congenital anomalies, childhood obesity, and diabetes (Liu et al., 2016). Therefore, it is important for mothers to maintain a healthy weight before and during pregnancy to optimize infant weight and health.

Maternal Behavioural Factors

Maternal behavioural factors refer to the lifestyle choices and habits of the mother, such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and stress. These factors can also affect infant weight in different ways. For example, maternal smoking during pregnancy is one of the most well-established risk factors for low birth weight, as it reduces placental blood flow and oxygen delivery to the fetus (Kaplanoglu et al., 2017). Maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy can also impair fetal growth and development, leading to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which can manifest as low birth weight, microcephaly, facial dysmorphia, and cognitive impairments (Popova et al., 2016). On the other hand, maternal physical activity during pregnancy can have beneficial effects on infant weight and health, as it can improve maternal cardiovascular fitness, glucose metabolism, blood pressure, and mood, as well as reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and cesarean delivery (Domenjoz et al., 2014). Maternal stress during pregnancy can also have negative effects on infant weight and health, as it can increase maternal cortisol levels, which can cross the placenta and affect fetal growth and development (Entringer et al., 2015). Therefore, it is important for mothers to avoid smoking and alcohol consumption during pregnancy and to engage in moderate physical activity and stress management techniques to optimize infant weight and health.

Maternal Dietary Factors

Maternal dietary factors refer to the quality and quantity of food intake of the mother during pregnancy. These factors can also affect infant weight in different ways. For example, maternal undernutrition during pregnancy can result in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which is characterized by low birth weight,
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Maternal Dietary Factors and Infant Weight

Maternal dietary factors refer to the quality and quantity of food intake of the mother during pregnancy. These factors can have significant impacts on infant weight and health outcomes. This blog post will explore some of the effects of maternal nutrition on infant weight, as well as some of the challenges and recommendations for improving maternal dietary factors.

Effects of Maternal Nutrition on Infant Weight

One of the most common consequences of maternal undernutrition during pregnancy is intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), which is characterized by low birth weight, less than 2,500 grams or 5.5 pounds, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality (Sharma et al. 2016). IUGR can result from maternal malnutrition, infections, chronic diseases, smoking, alcohol consumption, or placental insufficiency. IUGR can impair fetal growth and development, leading to long-term complications such as stunted growth, cognitive impairment, metabolic disorders, and cardiovascular diseases (Sharma et al. 2016).

On the other hand, maternal overnutrition during pregnancy can also have adverse effects on infant weight and health. Maternal obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, can increase the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, cesarean delivery, and fetal macrosomia (excessive birth weight), which is more than 4,000 grams or 8.8 pounds (Catalano et al. 2018). Fetal macrosomia can cause birth trauma, shoulder dystocia, neonatal hypoglycemia, and respiratory distress syndrome. Moreover, maternal obesity can predispose the offspring to obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases later in life (Catalano et al. 2018).

Challenges and Recommendations for Improving Maternal Dietary Factors

Improving maternal dietary factors is not a simple task, as it involves multiple biological, social, economic, and environmental factors. Some of the challenges that hinder optimal maternal nutrition include poverty, food insecurity, lack of education, cultural beliefs, inadequate health services, and environmental pollution (Khanal et al. 2019). These challenges require multisectoral interventions that address the root causes of maternal malnutrition and promote healthy eating behaviors.

Some of the recommendations for improving maternal dietary factors include:

– Providing adequate prenatal care and nutrition counseling to pregnant women
– Increasing access to diverse and nutritious foods through social protection programs, food fortification, and supplementation
– Promoting breastfeeding as the optimal source of nutrition for infants up to six months of age
– Educating women and their families about the benefits of balanced diets and physical activity
– Reducing exposure to tobacco smoke, alcohol, and environmental contaminants

Conclusion

Maternal dietary factors play a crucial role in determining infant weight and health outcomes. Maternal undernutrition and overnutrition can both have negative consequences for fetal growth and development, as well as long-term health risks for the offspring. Improving maternal dietary factors requires comprehensive and coordinated efforts from various stakeholders to address the underlying determinants of maternal nutrition and support healthy eating behaviors.

Works Cited

Catalano PM, Shankar K. Obesity and pregnancy: mechanisms of short term and long term adverse consequences for mother and child. BMJ. 2017;356:j1.

Khanal V, Sauer K, Karkee R. Determinants of complementary feeding practices among Nepalese children aged 6–23 months: findings from demographic and health survey 2016. BMC Pediatr. 2019;19(1):197.

Sharma SR, Giri S, Timalsina U, Bhandari SS, Basyal B,
Shrestha S. Low birth weight at term: relationship with maternal
anthropometry. J Nepal Health Res Counc. 2016;14(33):18–22.